Application FAQ

Eligibility

Are there any restrictions on nationality?

No, there are no restrictions on nationality. (However, those with Japanese nationality are not eligible.)

Can I apply even if my status of residence in Japan is not College Student?

Only those with College Student status may apply.

How can I find out whether my department, faculty or research subject makes me eligible?

If your research subject is in business administration or a field directly related to human health (such as medicine, pharmacology, biology, nutrition, physical education, or engineering), you are eligible to apply, regardless of the specific department or faculty with which you are affiliated. (Describe your research subject in the 研究内容section of the application form.)

If you are still unable to determine your eligibility on your own, contact us via our website. Provide full details of your research subject.

Am I ineligible to apply if I am not majoring in business administration?

Eligibility extends to a broad range of fields related to business administration, including economics. If you are from a developing country where business administration is not an established discipline, "international relations" is also acceptable.

I am a biology major pursuing plant and animal studies. Am I eligible to apply?

You can apply if your studies are applicable to human health. On the Scholarship Application Form, you must explain how they are applicable.

I am majoring in engineering. Am I eligible to apply?

You can apply if your studies are in an area "directly related to medicine/pharmacology." Eligible areas include, for example: human medical engineering such as development of testing/analysis devices, biomaterials engineering, development of optical devices, radiation (therapy/diagnosis), and robotics; biopharmaceuticals, genomic data analysis, and other areas of bioinformatics; computational sciences, drug discovery.

I am majoring in agriculture. Am I eligible to apply?

You can apply if your studies are directly related or applicable to medicine, pharmacology, or nutrition.

Can research students also apply?

No, research students cannot apply. You must be currently enrolled as a regular student to be eligible.

Is it possible to apply before I am officially matriculated into my undergraduate/graduate degree program?

No, you must be enrolled in an official degree program as of April of the application period and able to furnish a student registration certificate along with your application form.

Can undergraduate (bachelor's degree) students apply?

First- and second-year undergraduate students are not eligible to apply.

I will graduate from my current program in the fall of 2017. Can I apply? Are scholarships granted for half-years?

Eligibility is limited to applicants who will be enrolled throughout the payment period (April 2017 - March 2018). Scholarships are not provided in half-year allotments. However, if you plan to continue to graduate school after graduation, and can submit a letter of acceptance or other proof of admission together with your scholarship application documents, you are eligible to apply.

I may not be able to graduate within the standard period for completion. Can I still apply?

Students taking advantage of an extended enrollment system, students who remain in a program past the standard period for completion (including doctoral program students past the standard period for completion), and students unlikely to complete their studies within the standard period for completion are ineligible.

Scholarship recipients will have their scholarship cancelled if their graduation is delayed after they were selected as recipients.

Is there an age limit?

You must be 38 years old or younger as of April 1, 2017.

Am I eligible to apply even if I already have a scholarship from another organization?

Yes, provided that the scholarship in question allows you to accept other scholarships. Please submit a document copy that shows the name of the granting organization, the amount of scholarship, and period covered.

I plan to participate in an academic exchange program. Can I still apply?

Those who plan to leave Japan for fourty days or more during the period covered by the scholarship are ineligible.

Application Materials

Is the deadline (Monday, May 1) the postmarked date or the date by which my application has to arrive at the Foundation?

Your application must arrive at our office by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 1. Only applications sent by mail are accepted. Please note that the deadline for online submission of application documents through the Application Support System on our website is on April 28, 5:00 p.m.. Be sure to send a hard copy of your application documents by mail after submitting them on online.

How can I obtain information on application procedures?

The Foundation website includes a scholarship guide and other related information. You can also download application forms designated by the Foundation directly from the website. Please note that application forms are different for new and renewing applicants. Your application will be ineligible if you do not use the correct form.

As of when should I provide information on the institution currently attended (在籍機関)?

The information you provide for institution currently attended, year level, and other aspects of your studies and life should be correct as of the time of application.

Does my application need to be handwritten?

The application must be handwritten by the applicant. Your application will be disqualified if all or any part of the application is typed or handwritten by someone other than yourself.

How should I fill out Section ④ (学歴・職歴) of the application?

Provide your academic data from the last school attended in your home country to the school you are currently attending, in chronological order beginning with the oldest data at the top and leaving no gaps in the chronology (include any Japanese language schools attended and any universities attended as a research student). Also provide details on any work experience you have.

I just matriculated and haven't yet compiled an academic record at the graduate school I now attend. Is an undergraduate transcript acceptable?

Yes, you may submit a transcript of the undergraduate institution from which you graduated.

I just matriculated and haven't yet compiled an academic record at the university I now attend. Is a high school transcript acceptable?

Yes, you may submit a transcript of the high school you graduated from in your home country.

Does the transcript have to be an original? Do you accept copies?

You may submit a copy.

The transcript from the graduate school that I am currently attending shows only pass/fail information. Will that be acceptable?

No. As specified in the program guide, this transcript must provide course titles, credits earned, grades or other evaluations of student performance, and explanations of what the evaluations mean. Transcripts with only pass/fail information will not be accepted. Send a transcript that is current as of the most recent year for which level evaluations or grade evaluations were made.

Are transcripts written in the language of my home country accepted?

Yes. If it is difficult to obtain a transcript written in Japanese or English, you may submit a transcript (copy accepted) written in the language of your home country.

Please note that, as specified in the program guide, transcripts with only pass/fail information will not be accepted. Submit the latest transcript which contains course titles, credits earned, grades or other evaluations of student performance, and explanations of what the evaluations mean.

I completed studies at a Japanese language school before entering my current university. Should I submit a transcript from the Japanese language school?

No, transcripts from Japanese language schools are not accepted. Please submit a transcript (copy accepted) from the high school you graduated from.

I transferred to my current university from a vocational college. Should I submit a transcript from the vocational college?

No, transcripts from vocational colleges are not accepted, regardless of the type of vocational college. Please submit a transcript (copy accepted) from the high school you graduated from.

I transferred to my current university from a junior college. Should I submit a transcript from the junior college?

No, transcripts from junior colleges are not accepted. Please submit a transcript (copy accepted) from the high school you graduated from.

What does外国人留学生担当部署・担当者名 on the application form refer to?

Write the name of the administrative department (such as the student affairs office) in charge of scholarships at the university or graduate school where you are enrolled, together with the name of the contact person. In the contact telephone number box (連絡先電話番号), write the direct number of the relevant department. (Write the general reception phone number if you do not know the direct number.) In the contact email box (担当部署email), write the email address of the contact person.

Do recommendation letters need to be handwritten as well?

Typewritten recommendation letters are acceptable. Use the Excel form downloadable from our website and be sure to have the recommender place his/her signature in the 氏名（ご署名）section. (A signature that is typed, stamped or handwritten by any other person will cause you to be disqualified.)

If I do not have a designated supervisor, who should write the letter of recommendation?

Please have the head of your faculty or the person responsible for your studies at your faculty/graduate school write the letter of recommendation. The recommender shall be the person who undertakes responsibility for classes you major in or for your research guidance.

Do you accept application forms completed in English?

Application forms completed in English will be accepted but must be accompanied by a Japanese translation of all English entries, including proper nouns. In such cases, the forms completed in English must be handwritten by the applicant. If you are able to fill out sections of the form in Japanese, we encourage you to do so. The Japanese translation need not be handwritten. No specific format or structure is required for the Japanese translation. However, character limits for the sections on "Future Aspirations (Future Aspirations and Progress of the past one year " (将来の抱負{将来の抱負とこの一年の進捗}), "Research Subjects (Research Subject and Progress of the past one year)" (研究内容{研究内容とこの一年の進捗}) and "Progress and Achievements over the past one year" (過去一年の成果及び活動) still apply, and you are required to clearly indicate the character counts. Please note that your application will be disqualified if there are any errors, large omissions or other inaccuracies in the Japanese translation.

The sections for "Future Aspirations (Future Aspirations and Progress of the past one year " (将来の抱負{将来の抱負とこの一年の進捗}), "Research Subjects (Research Subject and Progress of the past one year)" (研究内容{研究内容とこの一年の進捗}) and "Progress and Achievements over the past one year" (過去一年の成果及び活動) have grid lines for Japanese characters. How should I proceed if I’m completing these sections in English?

Simply ignore the grid lines.

I currently have no specific research subject. What should I write in the section for "Research Subjects" (研究内容)?

Write about a research theme that you wish to pursue and how you would pursue such research (within 800 characters).

I'm receiving practical training at a hospital and have no research subject. What should I write in the section for "Research Subjects" (研究内容)?

Write about what you are learning through the practical training and what you would like to accomplish medically in the future (within 800 characters).

What should I do if I have no particular "Progress over the past one year" (過去一年の成果) to report?

Please report any achievements or advancements over the past one year, including not only presentations at academic conferences and papers submitted for publication, but also other achievements in your studies, activities contributing to the community, and so forth. If you had few achievements and advancements last year, you should not apply.

Under "Have you applied for other scholarships/research grants?" (他奨学金・研究助成金の併願状況), how should I enter one-off payments?

When entering your information online, select "Annual amount" and enter the total yearly amount. On the Scholarship Application form, in a blank space enter words such as "once-off" to explain the type of payment. If explanations are needed for other items on the form, enter them in blank spaces and mark them for attention using sticky notes.

Scholarship Amounts

How are scholarship amounts determined?

Scholarships of 2 million, 1.5 million or 1 million yen are granted based on documents submitted and candidate interviews, as evaluated by our selection committee. Those who already receive scholarships from other sources will receive 500,000 yen.

Will it affect the selection process if I win another scholarship or research grant, earn income from a part-time job, or have money sent from home?

No, they will not affect your evaluation as a candidate. Your income information simply allows us to obtain a general idea of your financial status. However, failure to supply information on your income and expenses, or any discrepancies or inaccuracies in the information provided, will disqualify the application. Therefore, please accurately describe your current situation.

I understand that the amount of the Foundation's scholarship will be reduced if I receive another scholarship. Does the amount of the other scholarship affect the amount by which the Foundation's scholarship is reduced?

The Foundation's scholarship will be reduced to ¥500,000, regardless of the amount of the other scholarship.

Are exemptions from admissions fees and tuition considered "other scholarships"?

No, they are not.

Is income from a part-time job or a teaching or research assistantship considered "other scholarships"?

No, it is not.

Are "scholarships provided as loans" considered "other scholarships"?

No, they are not. Only scholarships from the government, foundations, or other institutions that do not have to be repaid are considered "other scholarships."

Japanese Proficiency

Am I eligible regardless of my Japanese proficiency?

Yes. However, your Japanese proficiency (assessed in light of the length of your stay to date in Japan) may affect your evaluation as a candidate.

Is it possible to be interviewed in English?

While interviews are normally conducted in Japanese, they may be conducted in English if you arrived in Japan recently. Please note that you will be interviewed in Japanese if your application has been prepared in Japanese. Accordingly, be sure to prepare your application in English if you cannot speak Japanese.

Other Questions

I do not know my reference number. What should I do?

Your reference number will be issued upon completion of the online submission process.

Is my application complete once I have submitted online?

No, your application is not yet complete. Write the reference number issued upon online submission in the required spaces on your application documents, and promptly mail the all documents together to the Foundation.

We receive many applications every year and cannot respond to questions concerning whether or not individual applications have been received. Please send your application by registered mail or some other means that allows you to track its delivery status.

May I bring my application to your office in person?

No. Please submit applications by mail. Any application brought in person to our office or sent by fax or email will not be accepted.

When and where will the interviews be conducted?

Interviews will be conducted in late June to mid July in Tokyo and Osaka. You will be asked to travel to the venue at the time indicated.

When will I be contacted about an interview?

Applicants will be contacted directly by email in mid June. Please note that you have not been selected if you have not been contacted by early July. We ask that you refrain from contacting us concerning selection decisions.

I'm a renewing applicant. Should I complete the scholarship application form and submit all required documents as a new applicant does?

Yes. All applicants should complete the scholarship application form and mail it to the Foundation, along with the application materials specified in the program guide.